With the vast developments in technology over the past few decades, it is common for households and/or businesses to have a large number of electric devices, e.g., cameras, e-readers, tablets, TVs, DVD players, computers, and the like. However, with the increase in technological devices, the number of cables associated with the electrical devices has increased as well. Such cables include, but are not limited to, e.g., wires, power adapters, printer connector cables, USB cables, and the like. A common disadvantage associated with acquiring the plurality of cables is the lack of a fast, convenient and cost efficient way of organizing and storing the cables.
In general, cables collected in a household and/or business are stored in, e.g., bags and/or drawers, whereby the different types of cables are mixed together and become tangled, making it extremely difficult to locate and remove a specific cable. Further, even if cables of the same type are stored in the same bags and/or drawers, the mixing and/or tangling of cables still results in a time consuming and frustrating process of removing one cable. Of particular importance is the fact that storing cables in the current methods utilized further prevents the owner/user of the cables from knowing what types of cables are in their possession.
Due to the inconvenience of storing a plurality of cables, it has become common for people to implement, e.g., boxes, Ziploc™ bags, cable ties, or the like, in an attempt to organize cables in a more structured manner. However, these methods also have their disadvantages. For example, storage of cables in boxes creates the same problems as those discussed with respect to storing cables in bags and/or drawers, i.e., cables can become tangled and/or mixed together, making it difficult to locate a specific cable and/or know what cables are in possession of the owner. Ziploc™ bags have also been used to either hold one and/or a plurality of cables which have been, for example, rolled/wound into a more manageable form. In addition and/or in combination with the use of Ziploc™ bags, cables ties have been used to bind the cables to prevent tangling (see, e.g., Monoprice Hoop and Loop Fastening Cable Ties, available at http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=105&cp_id=10520&cs_id=1052003&p_id=5809&seq=1&format=2 (2011)). However, the use of Ziploc™ bags and cable ties still requires that the separated cables be placed in a container, e.g., a box, bag, drawer, or the like, for storage. Such storage again creates a disorganized and inconvenient method of locating a specific cable, i.e., a cable with specific connectors, is generally space consuming, and requires a user to search through the immense collection of bound cables until the proper cable is found. Thus, cable storage generally still remains inconvenient and time consuming to the regular and/or technical user.
As a result of the deficiencies in cable storage, various cable storage devices have been developed as an attempt to create an acceptable solution. Nevertheless, these cable storage devices have their own deficiencies. For example, cable storage and/or holder “brackets” attach to, e.g., a wall, and allow cables to be inserted into the slots provided (see, e.g., Pomona Electronics Test Lead Holder for Wires, available at http://www.pomonaelectronics.com/?i=prodmain&getDetails=1 &parent=TSTLEADHLDR (2011)). However, the slots for inserting cables are generally of only one size, therefore preventing the storage of multiple-sized cables. Also, in order to remove the cable first inserted into a specific slot, all other cables subsequently inserted into the same slot must be removed so that the specific cable of interest may be removed. Further, cables have a tendency of falling out of the slots if too many cables have been inserted into one slot, since there is generally no structure locking the cables in the slots, and a wall and/or surface must be dedicated to the “bracket” since it must be fixedly attached to a wall and/or object for use.
Cable organizers and/or storage devices similar to U.S. Patent Publication No. 2010/0264279 also require a large space to be dedicated to the storage of cables, i.e., a place to hang and/or attach the cable storage device, and make it difficult to locate a specific cable. In particular, a search and/or manipulation of each bound cable generally must be made to determine the type of connectors at the end of each cable. Thus, the process of locating a particular cable of interest is still time consuming and inconvenient.
Accordingly, despite the developments in cable storage, a need remains for a fast, convenient, cost efficient and portable cable storage device. These and other needs are satisfied by the cable storage device and the associated methods disclosed herein.